Analytical solution for Marangoni convection over a liquid-vapor surface due to an imposed temperature gradient

This paper presents a theoretical analysis for Marangoni convection induced flow over a free surface due to an imposed temperature gradient. The analysis assumes that the surface tension varies linearly with temperature but the temperature variation is a power law function of the location. The boundary layer equations are reduced into nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The analytical approximant solutions are represented in terms of a rapid convergent power series with elegantly computable terms and the associated transfer characteristics are discussed. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.